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Wednesday, 6 June 2012

What's in a name?

Well, I have a bit of a conundrum. I cant decide what to call my style of work.

This is important because it'll help me when it comes to making sales. I want people to be able to find my work on the internet, and if I term it as something too obscure, or unique, or unwanted (even if what I do is lovely within that genre), then no one will stumble across it, fall in love and buy it!

I originally wanted to term it something to do with decoupage. Thinking that this is mostly because that's what it is. But, after a conversation with my lovely friend over at Laura After Midnight, I realised that decoupage was probably not a particularly regularly searched term! After a long time spent searching Etsy for similar kind of things, I realised that although what I'm doing is unique, due to its decoupaged method, its style isn't. There is a lot of hand illustrated designed items out there. Does this mean that I should just call my item 'illustrated' or is it illustrated decoupage. Or collage? Or is it hand drawn. Or is it something entirely different? What?!!

Above you can see the sort of start of my 'decoupage-y' look. I like things that are simple, clean, but still beautiful. I'm not a fan of the over-crowded decoupage you see in a lot of places.

Above here you can see my first attempt at a real bird with the block pattern effect of the top image developed. This is a Pied Flycatcher, and is black and white.

This is my 2nd attempt in the real bird series. I decided to develop the look if more than two colours were needed. This is a Bullfinch, and is black (where the pattern is), white, grey and peachy-red. I'm really happy with the result. Obviously not stuck to this surface yet though!

And this is my Pied Flycatcher in situ. Not totally finished, still needs varnish etc, but it helps to show how it'll look as a whole.

I am really happy with my product and illustration development. I feel this style of drawing can be applied to everything I want to do: Home, Garden and Clothing.

Yet, what do I call it that screams buy me! Or more to the point, that people are going to be searching for in the first place? I need a hook, or a massive signpost of a describing name: [Chloe and the Chimera That Way >> type of thing.